Saeco Talea Giro Plus Espresso Machine - Certified Refurbished

We love our machine. We added the Milk Island and couldn't be happier! Well...yes we could. For the second time in 18 months our brew group has locked up. The first one never produced good "pucks", so I had a feeling that it would go at some point, but the second was awesome. And to keep it that way, we maintained it like clockwork. A few weeks ago it seized up again. We extended the warranty, so I am not out anything, but being without for a few weeks is disappointing.

(Posted on 3/15/13)

I am finally able to invite friends over for a latte and not be up to my elbows in messy grounds! This machine delivers a great espresso with a ton of crema--the amount of crema is even adjustable. I usually drink drip coffee in the morning, but my habits have now changed to Americanos.

I was able to purchase the milk island elsewhere and highly recommend it if you enjoy steamed very foamy milk. It produces the best foam i have ever encountered on any espresso drink anywhere. So thick you need a spoon. I do have the small island container--perfect for one large mug-- but that could be an issue if you regularly entertain and want larger quantities of foamed milk. Typically, I just steam hot water through the island to clean it, although you can take it apart and clean it more thoroughly by hand. The machine water container is a bit small, so you have to check it regularly. I did not find the manual steam wand to be nearly as effective as the milk island.

As an Americano lover, i still find it best to heat my water in the micro rather than drawing down the tank water to fill my big 16 oz mug. I really like the ability to adjust the amount of grounds used since i want a LOT of flavor and adding that second shot is very easy--not so with my old manual Starbucks pump machine. Emptying the portafilter on my old one was always messy, unless I let it sit a while, so making one espresso after another was not fun. With this machine, multiple shots are no problem.

I was sold on the refurbished model, not just by the price, but by the great impression the demo U-Tube videos gave me of Seattle Coffee Gear. Not only are the two ladies entertaining, they are extremely informative. After reading horror stories on other web sites about repairs from obscure facilities, I am confident if I have a problem they will be there to fix it, and they included a one year warranty direct from them.

Pros:
I love the foamy espresso, Easy To Use, Easy To Clean, Great Taste

Cons:
Small Water Container, Weak manual steam wand

(Posted on 5/26/11)

My girlfriend and I bought this after much research. Setup was simple and instructions straightforward. So far, refurb is reliable, with consistent taste and quality. Easy to refill, easy to clean. We are enjoying the custom controls and are fine-tuning to our individual likes. Highly recommend if you're looking for fresh brewed coffee and relatively inexpensive price for what you get.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Quick Brewing, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 4/19/11)

This unit had a lot of use over the holidays and held up great. Makes good coffee and is easy to use and clean. Very satisfied with it. Would buy again.

Pros:
Quick Brewing, Easy To Use, Easy To Clean, Great Taste, Large Water Container

Cons:

(Posted on 1/8/11)

We used to make pots of coffee every day. They would get cold and yucky and we would end up tossing them and brewing anew.

With the ability to make "coffee on demand" we save *and* we get fresh coffee every cup!!

Pros:
Quick Brewing, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 11/12/10)

We use this coffee maker everyday, morning and evening. It is easy to use and makes GREAT coffee. The crew at Seattle Coffee Gear are very helpful and we love having them close enough for support.

Pros:
Easy To Use, Large Water Container, Quick Brewing, Easy To Clean, Great Taste

Cons:

(Posted on 7/30/10)

The espresso machine has been very reliable and easy to use. I love the steaming line that froths the milk and is easy to clean. Makes the best and freshes coffee. No waste. Best present I ever bought for my wifes birthday!! Ha!! More than happy with my machine.

Pros:
Easy To Clean, Great Taste, Easy To Use

Cons:
Noisy

(Posted on 7/24/10)

I was a bit hesitant to buy a refurbished machine, but I couldn't pass up the chance to have an automatic of such high quality. I also bought the Lavazza coffee. My first latte from this machine is possible the best latte I've ever had. I'm very pleased!

Pros:
Easy To Use, Great Taste, Quick Brewing

Cons:

(Posted on 6/5/10)